Reps passes bill to create state police in Nigeria

The House of Representatives passed the bill for the creation of state police, signaling the beginning of the process of deconcentration of Nigeria’s policing structure.

This was achieved through the Thursday plenary session which was presided over by the speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, in which 289 members of parliament agreed to pass the bill.

In case you missed, the House had decided to commit the Thursday plenary to the passing of the State Police Bill following the increase in cases of killing, kidnapping, and banditry in recent months.

However, there was no dearth of drama in the session as soon after the session kicked off, a lawmaker from Kaduna, Bashir Zubairu, raised a point of order indicating that the document on the state police which had been prepared by the House Committee on Constitution Review had reached the lawmakers only Thursday afternoon.

Recognised to speak by the speaker, Zubairu said, “Mr Speaker, this document was only made available to lawmakers in the chambers, and we are yet to go through it. We cannot do justice to it because we have not gone through it.”

Zubairu, a member of the African Democratic Congress, was ruled out of order, allowing the process to proceed.

While the Speaker took members through the clauses, voices shouting “Point of Order” could be heard, but the presiding officer ignored them.

Before the voting began, Abbas announced that the electronic voting system was faulty, noting that the exercise would be conducted based on attendance.

Out of the 290 members in attendance, 289 voted in favour of state police while one voted against. The Speaker abstained from voting.

More details to follow…